Conveyor type basing and seasoning machine



July 11, 1961 D. MULLAN CoNvEYoR TYPE BASING AND sEAsoNING MACHINE FiledFeb. 13, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 July l1, 1961 D. MULLAN 2,992,058

coNvEYoR TYPE BASING AND sEAsoNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 195e frsheets-sheet 2 117 ffy INVENTOR. dDAW/2 Mau /l/V- July 1l, 1961 D.MULLAN 2,992,058

coNvEYoR TYPE BASIN@ AND sEAsoNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1956 7sheets-sheet :s

July 1l, 1961 D. MULLAN ooNvEYoR TYPE BASING AND sEAsoNING MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 13, 1956 July 11, 1961 D. MULLAN 2,992,058

CONVEYOR TYPE BASING AND SEASONING MACHNE Filed Feb. 13, 1956 7Sheets-Sheet 5 152. 155 jzz nwe/M July 11, 1961 D. MULLAN coNvEYoR TYPEBASING AND sEAsoNING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 195e 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IlILL!) IN V EN TOR.

July 11, 1961 D. MULLAN coNvEYoR TYPE BASIN@ AND sEAsoNING MACHINE 7Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. l5, 1956 @il J nited States atent 2,992,058CONVEYOR TYPE BASING AND SEASONING MACHINE Daniel Mullan, Hillside, NJ.,assigner to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., acorporation of Pennsylvania 'Filed Feb. 13, 1956, Ser. No. 565,097 9Claims. (Cl. S16-32) The present invention relates to the manufacture offluorescent lamps and, more particularly, to a conveyor type basing andseasoning machine for such lamps.

The prior art rotary turret basing and seasoning machines, as exempliedby the lamp making machine disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,069,386 issuedFebruary 2, 1937, to C. B. Palucki and assigned to Alfred Hofmann andCompany, is not capable of keeping up with the other present daycomponent machines of a high speed iluoa rescent lamp manufacturinggroup.

Hence, it has been found advantageous according to the present inventionto provide a novel conveyor type basing and seasoning machine comprisingessentially an outer and an inner conveyor. The outer conveyor receivesa iluorescent lamp from the adjacent exhaust machine and delivers thelamp successively through a positioning station, base threading station,lamp inverting station, base threading station and transfer station fordelivery to the inner conveyor. This inner conveyor trans ports the lampthrough a plurality of work stations where the lamp base is baked andthen cooled (While simultaneously being seasoned) and then is returnedto said outer conveyor. The outer conveyor carries the lamp thereonthrough a station where the wire on both ends of the lamp is trimmed andone end is lluxed and soldered, a lamp inverting station and a stationfor the fluxing and soldering of the other end. Finally the lamp istransfeired from the outer conveyor to an `adjacent lamp inspecting andtesting machine or is delivered by said outer conveyor to inspecting andtesting stations located adjacent said outer conveyor.

The invention also contemplates a novel outer oonveyor comprising outerchains for securing the lamp near its midpoint and for guiding the lowerend thereof and an inner conveyor provided with an upperbase-headcarryingchain and a lower base-head-carrying-chain.

In its general aspect the present invention has as its objective, =adual conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for fluorescent lamps.

A speciiic object of the present invention is a conveyor type basing andseasoning machine comprising an outer conveyor for supporting the lampalong its mid-point and guiding the lower end thereof and an innerconveyor comprising an upper head supporting chain and a lower headsupporting chain.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled linthe art to twhich it appertains as the description thereof proceeds bothby direct recitation and implication from the context.

Referning now to the drawings in which like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic plan view of a dual conveyor type basing andseasoning machine of the invention and a portion of an `adjacent exhaustmachine.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective View of the dni-ving mechanism andthe outer and inner conveyors of the basing and seasoning machine of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the conveyor type basing andseasoning machine adjacent to the base baking, base cooling and lampseasoning stations comprising stations 3l through 82 thereof, `andbroken away to eliminate unnecessary repetitious details thereof.

Patented July l1, 1961 FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional View of theconveyor' type basing and seasoning machine (at station 35) along theline IV--IV of FIG. 3 in the direction of the arrows and showing thedetails of the upper chains of the inner conveyor, the upper basingheads and associated season` ing connections. 7

FIG. 5 is a horizontal plan view along the line V-V of FIG. 4 in thedirection of the arrows and showing the details of the upper basingheads on the upper chainsof the inner conveyor and also the details ofthe lamp holder and the lamp rguides on the respective chains of theouter conveyor.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view ci the upper basereceiving head along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4 in the direction of thearrows, and showing the associated electrical connections thereof.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view (similar to FIG. 4) along the lineVII-VII of FIG. 3 of the lamp bulb holder at station 35 carried by theupper chain of the outer conveyor.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7of the bulb holder the open position (after station 33) maintainedduring the base baking and seasoning operation.

FIG. 9 is la view similar to FIG. 8 of the bulb holder in the closedposition maintained before station 33 and after station 82.

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIGS. 8 and 9` showing the jaws of the bulbholder in the transfer position at station 220 and discharge position atstation indicated diagrammatically in FIG. 1.

FIG. ll is a vertical sectional view (similar to FIGS. 4 and 7) alongthe line Xl-XI of FIG. 3 and showing the lower basing head carryingchains and its associated drive mechanism as well :as the associatedelectrical con* nections thereof at station 35.

FIG. l2 is avertical sectional view along the line XII- XII of FIG. lilin the direction of the arrows and showing the details of the lowerbasing heads and the assooiated lower base head elevating mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a horizontal sectional view of a lower basing head along theline XIII- XIII of FIG. l in the direction of the arrows and showing theelectrical connections for a lower base head.

FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view of the cooling manifold and thelower base holder head along the line XIV- XIV of FIG. 3 at station 79.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a dualconveyor type basing and seasoning machine orf the invention is showntherein. This machine (FIGS. l and 2) has an outer conveyor 12 and aninner conveyor 14 provided respectively with a plurality of lamp bulbholder heads or lamp holders 16 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 7-10) and a furtherplurality of upper base holder heads 18 (FIGS. 2-6) and lower baseholder heads 20y (FIGS. 2, 3 and 1244) which are all indexable aboutaframe through a plurality of work stations by a suitable drive mechanism22 (FIG. 2).

GENERAL `OPERATION At station 220 (FIG. l) an exhausted iluorescent lamp26 (FIGS. 3, 4, 7, l1, l2 and 14) may be automatically transferred byconventional means (not shown) from a head of an exhaust machine 24 to alamp holder 16 of the outer `conveyor 12. At stations 4 and 5 the lamp26 may be pushed down, manually or by `automatic means (not shown), toposition the lamp 26 to the proper heighth above the holders 16 forperforming the lamp basing operations at one end. At station l0 a basemay be threaded on one end of the lamp 26 by apparatus for threadingbases on the leads of iluorescent lamps such as disclosed in U.S. PatentNo. 2,720,690 issued to Daniel Mullan et al. October 18, 1955 andassigned to the same assignee yas the subject application. The lamp 26may be inverted at station 17 by a machine for turning fluorescent lampsand other elongated devices end for end as described in U.S. Patent No.2,661,101 issued to Daniel Mullan et al. on December 1, 1953 andassigned to the same assignee as the present application. Afterinversion, the lamp 26 may have a base 27 (FIGS. 4 and l1) suitablythreaded thereon at station 23 by apparatus similar to the aboveIdescribed base threading apparatus at station 10.

At station 31 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5) the upper basing heads 18 and lowerbasing heads 20,0f the inner conveyor 14 automatically align themselveswith the lamp 26, as hereinafter related in detail. At station 32 (FIG.3) the lamp 26 is seated in a lower basing head 20 and in an upperbasing head 18 by a lamp elevating mechanism, such as shown in FIG. 3 atstation 34. The lamp bulb holders 16 of the outer chain 14 are opened atstation 33 (FIG. 8) and the lamp 26 (secured in the upper base head 18and lower base head 20 at station 34) undergoes base baking (for 13stations) Vfrom station 35 through station 47. From station 48 throughstation 84 (37 stations) the lamp 26 is cooled. During index betweenstations 80 and 81 the lamp bulb holder 16 once more grasps the lamp 26.The lower basing head is lowered at stations 81 and 82 (reaching itslowermost position at station 82) and the lamp 26 pushed from the upperbasing head 18 at station 82.

At station 87 the lamp 26 (once more secured in the lamp holder 16 ofthe outer conveyor 12) may have the lead wires trimmed at both ends andthe lead wires at one end fluxed and soldered by apparatus for trimming,uxing and soldering the lead wires of fluorescent lamps as disclosed inU.S. Patent No. 2,764,953 issued Oct. 2, 1956 to Daniel Mullan andassigned to the same assignee as the subject application.

At station 93, for example, the lamp 26 may once more be inverted by alamp turning apparatus such as is located at station 17. The lead wiresof the other end of the lamp 26 may be fluxed and soldered at station 99by apparatus similar to the device at station 87. At station 130, forexamplethe lamp 216 may be transferred by automatic means (not shown) toan automatic inspection and testing machine (not shown) adjacentthereto. Alternatively uorescent lamp inspection devices and automatictesting devices (not shown) located adjacent stations 130 through 210 onthe outer conveyor 12 may be employed.

Frame The frame of the dual conveyor type basing and seasoning machinehas a plurality of pairs of vertical legs 30 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5, l1 and 14)which are maintained in substantially parallel relationship by a seriesof horizontal channels or angles 32, five in the instant showing ofFIGS. 4, 7 and 11. The horizontal channels 32 carry a plurality of pairsof substantially parallel longitudinal angles or channels 34, five ofwhich are shown in FIGS.

4, 7 and 1l.

Conveyors As shown particularly in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 11 the outerconveyor 12 of the conveyor type basing and seasoning machine of theinvention, has a vertical drive shaft 36 (FIG. 2) journalled in suitablebearings 38 (for example two in FIG. 2) which are carried by thelongitudinal channel members 34 of the frame. The outer conveyor 12 hasan upper chain 40 and a lower chain 42 (FIG. 2) for supporting ashereinafter described, the bulb holders 16. The chains 40 (FIG. 7) and42 (FIG. 1l) are driven by drive sprockets 44 on the shaft 36 by thedrive mechanism 22and pass around idler sprockets '46 (FIG. 2) at theother end of the machine, suitably on a shaft 36 and journalled in apair of suitable bearings 38 (FIG. 2).

The inner conveyor 14 has a pair of vertical shafts 48 (FIGS. l, 2, 4, 7and 11) suitably journalled in a plurality of bearings 50, seven in thepresent showing of FIG. 2, which are carried by the longitudinal supportmembers or angles 34 of the frame of the basing and seasoning machine.It will be understood from a consideration of FIG. 2 that the right handshaft 48 (when viewed therein) is suitably journalled in three bearingsSi), supported by the longitudinal members 34. The right hand and lefthand shafts -48 (When viewed in FIG. 2) each carry two double sprockets52 thereon. The left hand shaft 48 (when viewed in FIG. 2) carries apair of middle drive sprockets 53 in engagement with the outer chains`40 and 42 of the outer conveyor 12.

From a `consideration of FIG. 1 it is apparent that the sprockets 52 and53 of the inner conveyor 14 are suitably smaller in pitch diameter thanthe sprockets 44 and 46 of the outer conveyor 12, in order to providethe proper vertical alignment of the upper basing heads 18 and the lowerbasing heads 20 with the similarly spaced bulb holders 16 only betweenstations 31 and 82. A pair of upper chains 54, 5'6 (FIGS. 4 and 5)rotate about the upper sprockets 52 and carry the upper basing heads 18thereon. The middle drive sprockets 53 (FIGS. 2, 7 and 1l) on the lefthand shaft 48 engage the outer chains 40 and 42 respectively and theinner conveyor 114 is driven thereby. In turn lower chains 58 and 60(FIG. 11) rotate about the lower sprockets 52 and carry the lower basingheads 20 thereon.

Conveyor drive The drive mechanism 22 for the conveyor type basing andseasoning machine comprises a conventional intermittent drive 61, of thetype shown in the above mentioned USS. Patent No. 2,764,953, suitablydriven by a motor 62 (FIG. 2) and provided with a longitudinal cam shaft63 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 11). The shaft 63 extends from the intermittent drive.'61 and carries a pushdown or ejector cam 66 for pushing a based lamp26 out of the upper basing head 1'8 and cams (not shown) for operatingthe threading apparatus (not shown) the bulb inverting apparatus andwire trimming, lluxing and soldering apparatus (not shown), ashereinbefore mentioned.

Upper basing heads 18 As shown particularly in FIG. 4, the upper chains54 and 56 are provided with angle type bottom chain links 70 foradjustable securement thereto (by means of bolts 71) of an upper basinghead mounting channel 72. This channel 72 carries a top roller 74 inengagement with the top surface of a stationary guide track 76 (FIG. 4)and a bottom roller 78 in engagement with the bottom surface of asimilar guide track 80' to stiften each of the upper basing heads 18which are spaced the same distance apart as the lamp holders 16 (FIGS. 4and 5) and to assure their aligned indexing travel from station tostation. The tracks 76 and 80 are carried by the legs 30 of the machineframe.

A head mounting bracket or angle 82 is secured to the upper portions ofthe channel 72 by means of bolts as shown in FIG. 4, and is suitablyinsulated from said channel 72 (or the machine frame) by means of theinsulating bushings 86 and an insulating plate 88. The plate 88 issuitably provided with a clearance slot therein (FIG. 4) for the bolts71 used to mount the channel 72 on the links 70. This mounting bracketor angle 82 is provided with a bevelled aperture 90 for insertiontherein of a lamp 26 as hereinafter explained. A flanged inverted cuplike body or head 91, provided with a replaceable base supporting insert91a for, a one pin base (in this case), is carried by the bracket 82.The insert 91a has a radial bridge 91b (FIG. 6) which bridges theopening in the headbody 91.

A seasoning contact casting 92 suitably provided with an axial contact(and push down operating nger) opening 94 (-FG. 6) may be secured to thehead 91 and the bracket 82, as by means of bolts extending through aplurality (four in the present showing of FIG. 4) Vof spacers 97. Thiscasting 92 is provided with lugs 98 (FIG. 6) for pivotably mountingthereon a Weighted contact lever 100 whose lower end depends throughcontact hole 94 and normally engages a contact 102 of the base 27 of alamp 26 (FIG. 4). This casting 92 is suitably provided with angular ribs106 which sweep upwardly and converge on the right hand end thereof,when viewed in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, to provide a suitable socket 108 (FIG.4) -for mounting therein a seasoning bus bar contact mounting rod 110.The contact lever 100 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6) is connected to the mount rod110 by a iiexible conductor 112. A brush or contact finger 114 iscarried on the upper end of each of the staggered mount rods 110 and isheld in spring-biased engagement with one of a plurality of seasoningbus bars 116, 12 in the present showing of FIG. 3. Itis apparent from aconsideration of FIG. 3, that the heights of the contact mount rods 110are staggered so that the brushes 114 carried on the upper ends thereofengage one and only one of the substantially parallel bus bars 116 andhence only one lamp 26 is seasoned on each identical seasoning circuit(not shown) to assure uniform seasoning of all lamps 26.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the bus bars 116 are carried by insulatingsupports 117 (FIG. 4) of a metallic supporting frame 118 ymounted bybrackets 119 on the leg 30 and the channel 32.

Bulb holder heads 16 The top driver chain 40 of the outer conveyor 12(FIG. 7) is provided with angle type links 120 (similar to the links 70,FIG. 4) to which a bulb holder supporting channel 122 (FIGS. 11 and 12)is secured, as by bolts. This channel 122 carries a top roller 124 (FIG.7) in engagement with the top surface of a guide track 126 (similar tothe guide track 76, FIG. 4) and a bottom roller 128 in engagement withthe bottom surface of a guide track 130, FIG. ll (similar to the bottomtrack 80, FIG. 4). The lower driver chain 42 likewise is provided withupper angle type links 132 for securement, as by bolts, to the lowerportions of the channel 122 (FIG. 11).

The bottom portion of the link pins of the chain 42 are provided withthrust rollers 134 for engagement with a lower thrust roller shoe 136carried by a bracket 138 secured to the leg 30 of the machine frameadjacent stations 81, 82, and 83. In like manner (FIG. 7) an angularsupporting bracket 140 is secured to the leg 30 and carries an upperchain thrust shoe mounting bracket 142 on which is mounted a thrust shoe144 for engagement with the link pin portion of the driver chain 40(FIG. 7). It will be understood that the upper thrust shoe 144 and thelower thrust shoe 136 extend from the frame of the machine contiguous tostations 81, 82 and 83 (FIG. l) to prevent whipping of the lamp 26 dueto back lash in the indexing mechanism 61 (FIG. 2) during the transferof a lamp 26 from the upper and lower basing heads 18 and 20 of theinner conveyor 12 at these stations to the lamp holders 16 of the outerconveyor 12.

Each bulb holder 16 has a centralizing mounting bracket 150 (fFIGS. 5,7, 8, 9 and 10) secured, as by bolts, to the supporting channel 122thereof. This bracket 150 is provided with a pair of plasticcentralizing rods 152, suitably nylon, for'engaging the heatedV envelopeof the lamp 26 and centralizing same with respect to the axis of thebulb holder 16. Jaws 154 are pivoted on pins 158 upstanding from thecentralizing mounting bracket 150. A plunger bushing 160 issuitably'secured within the mounting bracket 150, as by a threadedconnection (FIGS. 8 through l0) and slidably carries therein a jawoperating plunger 162 having a cam engaging roller 164 on its right handend, Iwhen viewed in FIG. 8.

kThis operating plunger 162 carries an upstanding pivot or pin on itsleft hand end for pivotably mounting there'- on a pair of links 168.These links are spring-biased into normally closed engagement and havetheir outer ends pivotably connected to the jaws 154 through suitableclearance slots in said jaws.

IIt Will be understood from a consideration of FIG. 9, that when thejaws 154 are in the normally closed position shown therein, the links168 are beyond the dead center position of their pivot. The jaws 154open between Vstations 33 and 34 by the roller 164 (during index) ridingup an inclined portion of a stationary cam 174 (FIGS. 7 and 8) carriedby the leg 30 of the frame beneath the tracks 126 for top roller 124 onchannel 122. The jaws 154 remain open (past dead center position FIG. 8)from stations 35 to 80 whereupon the roller 164 rides down an incline inthe cam 174 thus closing the jaws 154 about a lamp 26. From aconsideration of FIG. 10 it is apparent that the spring-biased jaws 154will not -be swung (without the aid of means such as the cam 174) beyondthe dead center position of the links 168 merely by introducing orwithdrawing a lamp 26 from the holder 16 at the transfer position ordischarge position, shown in FIG. 1 of the combination basing andseasoning machine.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 11 and 12, the bottom portion of the supportingchannel 122 carries a pair of lamp guides which are generally U-shapedin horizontal cross-section and contoured to guidingly support the lowerportions of a lamp 26 while held in the bulb holder 16 of the outerconveyor 12.

Lower basing heads 20 Each of the lower basing heads 20 (FIGS. 2, 3, 11,12, 13 and 14) is carried by the lower chains 58 and 60. The lowerchains 58 aud 60 have respectively a plurality of angle type upper links182 and lower links 184 (FIG. 1l) which carry, by means of bolts, alower basing head supporting channel 186. As in the case of the upperbasing heads 18 and the lamp holders 16 (FIGS. 4 and 7) the supportingchannel 186 is provided With an upper roller 188 in engagement with thetop surface of the cam track 190 carried by the leg 30 of the machineframe and a lower roller 192 in engagement with the bottom surface of acam track 194 likewise secured to the leg 30 of the machine frame.

A head elevating mechanism mount casting 196 (FIG. 11) is fixed to thechannel 186, as by bolts. This mounting casting 196 consists essentiallyof an upper bearing 200 and a lower bearing 202 integrated by a verticalkey-plate 204. A hollow sleeve 206 (FIG. 11) is reciprocable in thebearings 200 and 202 and carries a keying block 208 in engagement withthe keying plate 204 to prevent rotation of the sleeve 206 with respectto the casting 196. This sleeve 206 also carries a roller block `210 onits lower end which in turn is provided with a roller 212. This roller212 is normally in engagement with a lower cam 214 (FIGS. 3, 111 and l2)and an upper cam 215 adjacent stations 33-35 and 80--82 mounted by meansof a bracket 216 to the stationary portions of the machine frame (FIG.12). The lower cam 214 is secured by means of a bracket 220 (FIG. ll) toan upright or stanchion 222 upstanding from the oor or bedplate portionsof the machine frame.

A head carrying shaft 230 is reciprocable within the sleeve 206 andcarries a pair of spring mounting plates 232 (FIGS. 11 and 12) on itslower end and anged contact and lead supporting plate 234 on the upperend thereof. Springs 236 extend from suitable pins protruding from thekeying plate 208 on the sleeve 206 to suitable pins outstanding from thespring supporting plates 232.

Each of the lower basing heads 20 has a suitably anged cup-like body 238(FIG. l1) provided with a removable supporting insert 239 having onecontact opening, in this case, for the Contact 102 of a base 27.

It will be understood from a consideration of FIG. 11, that the contact102 of the base 27 of the lamp 26 projects through the contact aperturein the base insert 239 and into a radial slot 240 provided in the headsupporting plate 234 (FIGS. 11 and 13). As shown particularly in FIGS.12 and 13, a counterweighted contact lever 242 is pivoted at 244 on asuitable pin on the plate 234 and through its weight is held in normallyupward position in engagement with the lower contact 102 of a base 27(FIG. l1). A flexible connector 246 connects the contact lever 242 to acontact brush mounting rod 248 secured by a bracket 250` to the channel186. A resilient spring biased contact brush 252 on the rod 248 (FIG.13) is held in normally spring biased engagement with a lower bus bar254 (FIGS 3, 1l and 13) suitably grounded to the frame of the machine.It will be understood from a consideration of FIG. 3, that this lowerbus bar 254 extends throughout the seasoning stations (station 32through station 79).

Operation of lower basing head As a lamp 26 indexes from station 31 tostation 34 (FIG. 3) the roller 212 on the roller block 210 on the bottomof the head shaft 230 rides up an inclined portion of the lower cam 214,lirst seating a lower base 27 in a lower basing head at station 32 andfinally seating an upper base 27 in an upper basing head y18 at station33.

As the sleeve 206 and the Shaft 230 rise to meet and to seat a base 27in a lower basing head 20, the springs 236 keep the plates 232 againstthe bottom surface of the roller block 210. It will be understood thatthe springs 236 are strong enough to overcome the frictional .grip ofthe jaws 154 of the bulb holder 16 on the envelope of the lamp 26. Asthe lower basing head 238 and the lamp 26 move upwardly to meet theupper basing head 91, the base 27 is seated therein and the shaft 230ceases its motion. The sleeve 206 continues to rise due to the action ofthe cam 214 against the pressure of the springs 236 to compensate fordifferences in the distance between upper and lower basing heads 18 and20 and overall length of the lamp 26 and positively seat the upper base27 in an upper basing head 91. As hereinbefore mentioned the lamp holderjaws 154 (FIGS. 3 and 7-l0) are opened between stations 33 and 34 by thecam 174 and the lamp 26 is now held by the heads 18 and 20, therebypermitting the bases 27 to centralize themselves in the heads. It willbe understood from a consideration of FIG. 12, that the upper cam 215extending substantially along the machine at stations 34 and 35 insurespositive engagement of the roller 212 with the cam 214.

As shown in FIG. 3, the roller 212 finally engages a releasing cam 260mounted on a bracket 216 and a declining portion of the lower cam 214 atstation 80, riding down said declimng portion, lowering the lower head20 at station 81 and reaching the lowermost position of a lower head 20at station 82. At station 82 a lamp ejector mechanism removes the lamp26 (now frictionally held in bulb holder 16) from the upper basing head18.

Lamp ejector mechanism The lamp ejector mechanism at station 82 (FIGS.3, 4, and l1) has the lamp ejector cam 66 on the cam shaft 63 ashereinbefore mentioned. A cam lever 262 (FIG. 1`f1) provided with a camroller 264 is held in springbiased engagement with the cam 66 by springmeans (not shown). This cam lever 262 (FIG. ll) is carried by anoperating rod 266 extending substantially parallel to a leg 30 of themachine frame (FIGS. 4 and 11) and suitably reciprocable in appropriatebushings or bearings (not shown) secured for example, to a leg 30 of themachine frame.

3 and 4) is secured by a bolt 270 (FIG. 4) to a mount- A yoke supportingcasting 268 (FIGS. L

CFI

ing bracket 272 on the side of a leg 30 of the machine frame. The upperportions of the rod 266 are reciprocable in suitably bearing surfaces(not shown) in the yoke casting 268. The upper portion of the operatingrod 266 is secured to one end of a yoke (not shown) pivoted on thecasting 268 and having its other end connected to a push-down rod 274(FIG. 4) reciprocable in a suitable guide 276 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of theyoke casting 268. 'Ihe push-down rod 274 carries a mounting bracket 278on its lower end which in turn carries a pair of push-down operatingfingers 280 (FIGS. 3 and 4) for insertion through the push-down fingeropening 94 in the seasoning contact casting 92, through the openings oneither side of the bridge 91b (FIG. 6) of the upper base insert 91aagainst an upper base 27 to remove same and hence the lamp 26 from anupper basing head 18.

It will be understood from a consideration of FIGS. 3, 4, 7 and l1, thatwhen the cam roller 264 (FIG. 1l) engages a raised portion of thepush-down cam 66 at station 82, the operating rod 266 (FIG. 4) isreciprocated vertically with respect to the frame. The yoke (not shown)on the yoke supporting casting 268 (FIG. 4) reciprocates the operatingrod 274 and hence the pushdown ngers 280 downwardly to remove a lamp 26from an upper head 18 as above mentioned and shown in the dotted lineposition of FIG. 4.

Baking manifolds It will be understood from a consideration of FIGS. land 5 that upper baking manifolds. 290 and 292 (FIG. 4) and lower bakingmanifolds 296 and 298 (FIG. ll) extend on either side of upper basingheads 18 and lower basing heads 20 respectively from station 35 tostation 48.

The upper baking manifold 290' (FIG. 4) is secured by a plurality ofbolts (FIG. 4) to a manifold supporting member 300 which extendsupwardly and then horizontally for attachment to the bracket 119 carriedby the upper portion of a leg 30 of the machine frame contiguous to theupper yoke casing 268 and the frame channel member 32.

The upper manifold 292 is suitably affixed by means of brackets (FIG. 4)to the left hand end when viewed in FIG. 4, of the horizontal member 32of the machine frame. As shown in FIG. 1l, a horizontal brace 310integrated with a vertical brace or channel 312 provides a support forattachment as by bolts for the lower heating manifold 296. The otherheating manifold 298 is connected, as by a bracket, to the leg 30 of themachine frame.

Cooling air manifolds It will be understood from a consideration oflFIGS. 1, 3 and 14 that cooling manifolds 320 and 322 are mounted oneither side of the upper basing heads 18 and lower basing heads 20 fromstation 48 through station 84 and are secured tto the frame portions ofthe combination basing and seasoning machine in a manner similar to theabove described mounting means for the heating manifolds.

For example, as shown in FIG. 14, the left hand manifold 320 showntherein is aixed by a retaining plate 324 and suitable bolts to bracket326 which portion is connected by means (not shown) to the frameportions of the machine. In like manner the right hand cooling manifoldis secured by a clamp 328 and suitable bolts to a stationary portion ofthe Vframe such as a leg 30. As shown in FIG. 14, the cooling manifolds320 and 322 are provided with a plurality of jets 330, three in thepresent showing of FIG. 14 for directing the cooling air directly on theupper and lower bases 27 of a lamp 26 undergoing cooling.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, itwill be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit andscope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for uoroescent lamps4having bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, and a second conveyor on said frameintermittently movable with said iirst mentioned conveyor along acoinciding path for at least a portion `of its movement and forsupporting the bases for said lamp and aligning the same with therespective ends of said lamps, said bulb holders coacting with saidsecond conveyor to release said lamp when said bases are supported onsaid second conveyor and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said second conveyor.

2. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for lluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, and a second conveyor intermittently movablewith said first mentioned conveyor about said frame along a coincidingpath for at least a portion of its movement and comprising an upperbasing head supporting member provided 'with a plurality of upper basingheads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with a likenumber of lower basing heads and for supporting the lamp during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported insaid basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads.

3. A conveyor type basin-g and seasoning machine for tfluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality o-frotatable bulb holders therein for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movable insynchronism with said first mentioned conveyor about said frame along acoinciding path ifor at least a portion of its movement and comprisingan upper basing head supporting member provided with a plurality ofupper basing heads and a lo'wer basing head supporting member providedwith a like number of lower basing heads and for supporting the lampduring a baking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holderscoacting with said basing heads to release said lamp when said bases aresupported in said basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when saidbases are released from said 'basing heads and baking means on saidframe adjacent said second conveyor for baking said bases afterapplication to the lamp ends.

4. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for fluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movablewith said rst mentioned conveyor about said frame along a coincidingpath for at least a portion of its movement and comprising an upperbasing head supporting member provided with a plurality of upper basingheads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with a likenumber of lower basing heads and for supporting the lamp `during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported insaid basing heads and to again l0 clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads, baking means on said frame adjacentsaid second conveyor for baking said bases after application to the lampends and cooling apparatus on said frame adjacent the path of movementof said second conveyor for cooling said baked lamp bases.

5. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for lluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movable insynchronism with said iirst mentioned conveyor about said frame along acoinciding path for at least a portion of its movement and comprising anupper basing head supporting member provided with a plurality of upperbasing heads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with alike number of lower basing heads and for supporting the lamp during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported insaid basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads, baking means on said frame adjacent thepath of movement of said second conveyor for baking said bases afterapplication to the lamp ends, cooling apparatus on the lframe adjacentthe path of movement of said second conveyor for cooling said baked lampbases and seasoning means on said frame adjacent the path of movement ofsaid second conveyor for seasoning said lamps.

y6. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for [fluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movablewith said iirst mentioned conveyor on said frame along a coinciding pathfor at least a portion of its movement and comprising an upper basinghead supporting member provided with a plurality of upper basing headsand a lower basing head supporting member provided with a like number oflower basing heads and for supporting the lamp during a baking, coolingand seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting with said basingheads to release said lamp when said bases are supported in said basingheads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases are released fromsaid basing heads baking means on said frame adjacent said secondconveyor for baking said bases after application to the lamp ends,cooling apparatus on said frame adjacent the path of movement of saidsecond conveyor for cooling said baked lamp bases, seasoning means onsaid frame adjacent the path of movement of said second conveyor forseasoning said lamps, and elevating means on said frame adjacent saidpath of movement of both said conveyors ahead of said baking means forelevating one of said lower baking heads 'to seat said lamp in one ofsaid upper basing heads and also seat it in said lower basing head.

7. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for iiuorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a lframe, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently ymovable insynchronism with said first mentioned conveyor on said frame along acoinciding path for at least a portion of its movement and comprising anupper basing head supporting member provided with a plurality of upperbasing heads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with alike number of lower basing heads and lfor supporting the lamp during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported insaid basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads, baking means on said frame adjacentsaid second conveyor for baking said bases after application to the lampends, cooling apparatus on said frame adjacent the path of movement ofsaid second conveyor for cooling said baked lamp bases, seasoning meanson said frame adjacent the path of movement of said second conveyor forseasoning said lamps, elevating means on said frame adjacent the path ofmovement of both said conveyors ahead of said baking means for elevatingone of said lower baking heads -to seat said lamp in one of said upperbasing heads and also seat it in said lower basing heads, and bulbholder opening means on said frame contiguous to the path of movement ofboth said conveyors ahead of said baking means and operable to open saidbulb holders.

8. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for iiuorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movable insynchronism with said first mentioned conveyor on said frame along acoinciding path for at least a portion of its movement and comprising anupper basing head supporting member provided with a plurality of upperbasing heads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with alike number of lower basing heads and for supporting the lamp during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported insaid basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads, baking means on said frame adjacentsaid second conveyor for baking said bases after application to thelamp' ends, coo-ling apparatus on said frame adjacent the path ofmovement of said second conveyor for cooling said baked lamp bases,seasoning means on said frame adjacent the path of movement of saidsecond conveyor for seasoning said lamps, elevating means on said frameadjacent the path of movement of both said conveyors ahead of saidbaking means for elevating `one of said lower basing heads to seat saidlamp in one of said upper basing heads and also in said lower basinghead, bulb holder opening means on said frame contiguous to the path ofmovement of both said conveyors ahead of said baking means and operableto open said bulb holders, and basing head lowering means adjacent toboth said conveyors near the end of said cooling means for lowering saidlower basing heads.

9. A conveyor type basing and seasoning machine for fluorescent lampshaving bases on either end thereof, comprising a frame, a conveyorintermittently movable about said frame and having a plurality ofrotatable bulb holders thereon 'for clamping a lamp along its midpointand turning it end for end and for guiding the lower end thereof tovertically align said lamp, a second conveyor intermittently movable insynchronism with said first mentioned conveyor about said frame along acoinciding path for at least a portion of its movement and comprising anupper basing head supporting member provided with a plurality of upperbasing heads and a lower basing head supporting member provided with alike number of lower basing heads and for supporting the lamp during abaking, cooling and seasoning operation, said bulb holders coacting withsaid basing heads to release said lamp when said bases are supported linsaid basing heads and to again clamp said lamp when said bases arereleased from said basing heads, baking means on said frame adjacentsaid second conveyor for baking said bases after application to the lampends, cooling apparatus on said frame adjacent the path oi movement ofsaid second conveyor for cooling said baked lamp bases, seasoning meanson said frame adjacent the path of movement of said second conveyor forseasoning said lamps, elevating means on said frame adjacent the path ofmovement of both said conveyors ahead of said baking means for elevatingone of said lower basing heads to seat said lamp in one of said upperbasing heads and also to seat lit in said lower basing head, bulb holderopening means on said frame contiguous to the path of movement of bothsaid conveyors ahead of said baking means and operable to open said bulbholders, basing head lowering means adjacent to both said conveyors nearthe end of said cooling means for lowering said lower basing heads, andlamp removing means contiguous to said second conveyor near the end ofsaid cooling apparatus for removing said lamps from said upper basingheads.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,708,756 Fagan et al. Apr. 9, 1929 1,736,766 Burrows Nov. 19, 19292,564,839 Giacchetti Aug. 2l, 1951 2,661,101 Mullan et a1. Dec. 1, 19532,720,690 Mullan et al Oct. 18, 1955 2,764,953 Mullan et al Oct. 2, 1956

